Two Questions in One!

[justin_tx_16]

First off, trying to find the name of this do hicky. Came out right before the Dictaphone... recorded about 1 hour of voice onto a plastic/rubber belt, one time use. Any idea what it is?

Now, looking at some patents today. Was this Klipsch speaker ever made? I don't remember ever seeing it.

PWK designed it, boy he has an awesome signature!!!

[Istari]

Justin,

This is the "Little Bastard" LB-76 only a few pair were ever made.

Our Klipsch historian, HDBR has detailed its history below:

PWK wanted to use a Lascala at home as a center channel between two k-horns. Previously, he was using a Cornwall, and before that a Heresy for center-channel duty. His first wife, Belle, did not like the looks of the LaScala, but she "allowed it into her living room." One of the reasons she disliked the LaScala was because it was plain plywood construction, and NOT the fine-furniture look of PWK's walnut veneered k-horns or the previously used Cornwall or Heresy. Another reason she disliked the LaScala was that she was able to put a long tall table over the Cornwall or Heresy...to kinda hide them a bit(Cornwall was original Cornwall II model on its side). So, in order to bring a smile to Belle's face, as a surprise for her, PWK designed and built the first Belle Klipsch speaker...naming it after and giving it to his wife. He designed it so that it stood alone as a fine piece of furniture, no table needed to cover it up...and so that it was an aesthetic match for the k-horns, while still having the sonic performance of the LaScala...IOW a dressed-up LaScala. Pretty simple! Belle passed away in 1975 or early 1976...and shortly after, PWK married Mrs. Valerie. He also designed a speaker for her...to use in her music classes, but Mrs. Valerie, upon hearing how difficult the cabinet was to construct, and how the builders assigned the task had called it a "little bastard"...told PWK just to name it the "little bastard". The speaker was designed and first built in 1976, and was designated the LB-76. It is basically a smaller version of a LaScala, with "half the folded horn of the LaScala turned up on its end"....the mid-horn of the Cornwall(or maybe Heresy?), with the tweeter vertically mounted to one side of the midhorn. About a half dozen pairs of LB-76's were built, but it never went into regular production because the cost in labor to build it was more than that of the LaScala...and since it was intended to be a smaller, more easily maneuvered-around speaker that approached LaScala performance at a lower cost than the LaScala...it simply wasn't economically sound to spend more building it, but sell it for less! Pretty simple! I always loved to borrow a pair of LB-76's from the plant to take to the river for parties and such when I worked there...they really sounded great!

[justin_tx_16]

Well there you go! Thanks. So, now to question #1...

[HDBRbuilder]

well, Justin, it wasn't a tape deck...but...maybe a belt deck? LOL! Got a pic of it?

I can just hear it now:

"Kids, if you don't behave, I am gonna bring in the belt"

"Cool, Dad, could ya make it the Eagles' 'Hotel California' belt?"

[justin_tx_16]

That's just it. My "boss" has all these belts in boxes of recordings of his meetings, kids first words, yadda yadda. sounds like he recorded just about EVERYTHING he heard with this thing, only thing is he never had a player! (not all the lights are on up there... that is why he got married, she MORE than makes up his lacking. for being a chemist, and a very good one, he really boggles you sometimes!)

if I can figure out WHAT it was and if there is one for sale, price no object, he will buy it. just gotta figure out what it was LoL!

[mkl]

If I understand what you are talking about, the device was still a Dictaphone, and used dictation belts as its media. If you just wanted the belts recorded onto cd, a guy who I used to live near (I never knew him personally however, just about him:) ) used to do this will these belts.

His website is http://www.soundsaver.com/

He has a section for dictation belts. From stories I've heard, if it was recorded on media, this guy can play/transfer it.

If you don't want it transfered, he would at the least be a good reference for getting a unit to play them.

Hope this helps.

-mkl

[justin_tx_16]

Yep, I believe this is the one! A blue belt was his description. This is great! Thanks!

[lynnm]

Justin

Mk1 is probably correct but there is another possibility.

Before the Dictabelt there was the Edison Dictation machine,( The Ediphone), which initially used a recordable wax cylinder but eventually used a thickish red rubbery belt onto which the dictation was recorded. My history gets a little thin here but I believe that the dictabelt was a separate development but obviously very similar.

[Marvel]

An historian friend of mine presently works at the Edison Historical site in N.J. They are currently working on a project using Edison's original recording equip., and bringing in all kinds of talent. Jazz, folk, blues, rock, and recording them on wax cylinders. They are then tranfering them to digital format for archival purposes. They even recorded my buddy as he plays a good hard slide guitar (acoustic -- I think he used a Dobro that day). To record well it requirs pretty high volume since it was a mechanical recording. They gave him his wax cylinder at the end of the day. He said it sounded just like a lot of old old recordings that have been reissued. I've got the list at home, but they had done Peter Paul and Mary, Buck Pizzarelli (sp?), and some others.

Marvel